Variations in how much fluid is present in a subject's thoracic region can take various forms and can have different causes. As one example, eating salty foods can result in the retainment of excessive fluid in the thorax, which is commonly referred to as “thoracic fluid,” and elsewhere. Another source of fluid build-up in the thorax is pulmonary edema, which involves a build-up of extravascular fluid in or around the lungs.
One cause of pulmonary edema is congestive heart failure (referred to as “CHF”), which is also sometimes referred to as “chronic heart failure,” or simply as “heart failure.” CHF may be conceptualized as an enlarged weakened heart muscle. The impaired heart muscle results in poor cardiac output of blood. As a result of such poor blood circulation, blood tends to pool in blood vessels in the lungs and becomes a barrier to normal oxygen exchange. In brief, pulmonary edema may be an indicative and important condition associated with CHF.
Pulmonary edema, if it exists, may present a medical emergency that requires immediate care. While it can sometimes prove fatal, the outlook for subjects possessing pulmonary edema can be good upon early detection and prompt treatment of the same. If left undetected (and consequently untreated), pulmonary edema may lead to death.